Mălâncrav – Apafi Manor

The manor, as well as the whole village, belonged to the Apafi noble family. In the 18th century, when they had no more heirs, the manor has been taken over by the Bethlen noble family. Throughout time, the Apafi house has been changing its shape and was several times renovated in 1830 the owner of the time, Graf Haller. In 1920 the manor was transfered to the Saxon community, then transformed into the cultural house of the village, then seized by communists in 1949.

After discovering in the archives of the Hungarian state several detailed inventories that marked the changes brought to the Mâlâncrav estate between 1679 and 1778, German architect Jan Hulsemann and contractors Fritz Klutsch and Ernst Linzing brought the manor back to its original 18th century aspect, using traditional techniques and materials. Once the architecture and finishes were restored, British designer David Mlinaric was in charge of the interior design, respecting the same spirit: most of the objects inside the rooms of the manor – weave work, lace work, furniture pieces and ironware – are of local provenience, either originally found inside the manor, or brought from the nearby villages.

The five generous rooms, each with its own bathroom, as well as the kitchen, elegantly combine traditional furniture pieces with more modern ones, using a soft, natural color scheme. Nevertheless, the library remains the central space of the manor. Here, the decorative frieze was re-painted by two British artists and the interior design includes furniture pieces, books and paintings, most of them donated by Mrs. Ilinca Bossy.

It does not matter how many people are in your group, 2 or 9: you will have the entire house and yard to yourself. We will not rent the other rooms, yet you will only pay per person.

Note: Please be informed that only one mobile operator has coverage in Mălâncrav (Digi Mobile). Also, please note that is best to drink the water your host brings to the house, rather than directly from the tap.

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Who we are & what we believe in

This is a guest house owned and managed by the Mihai Eminescu Trust (MET). The MET is a non-profit organization that has 20 years of experience in heritage conservation and the regeneration of villages in Transylvania and Maramureș. 

Experience Transylvania is the Foundation’s initiative for the development of cultural tourism and it consists of a network of over 20 traditional guesthouses scattered around beautiful villages such as: Mălâncrav, Florești, Richiș, Biertan, Alma Vii, Viscri, Criț or Breb.  

We are here to support the local economy by involving villagers in the restoration and management of the houses and thus showing that, if well preserved, heritage can become a source of growth for the community. Our goal is to empower people and to assist them in creating a sustainable and healthy future, while preserving their cultural heritage and an authentic way of life.

While enjoying delightful local dishes and the peaceful village life, guests staying in our houses unknowingly support our work and are part of this success story. Thank you.